


Knight-Errantly

by ashangel101010



Series: The Jedi Prince [6]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Legends - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: F/M, First Kiss, Foreshadowing, Friendship/Love, Gen, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Past Qi'ra/Han Solo, Worldbuilding
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-07
Updated: 2019-08-21
Packaged: 2019-10-06 05:15:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 16,858
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17339246
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ashangel101010/pseuds/ashangel101010
Summary: Armitage Hux, the Prince, and Dead-Star are on a quest to Nagi.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> I own nothing in the Star Wars universe or anything in any universe; I just like writing stories in that universe.

Knight-Errantly Prologue

*

Suggested Theme:

Main Theme- Africa (Weezer cover) by Toto

*

            Ben has to bite down on his lips to prevent Dead-Star’s growl from slipping out and waking the other Initiates.

**_BURN THE SKYWALKER!_ **

_You’ve been saying that for an hour!_

**_BECAUSE YOU’RE NOT LETTING ME BURN HIM!_ **

_Stop screaming, or I’ll tell mom and Luke about you!_

**_…………..Burn the Skywalker._ **

_I guess that’s better._

**_It’ll only get better when Skywalker dies!_ **

_I doubt killing my uncle will get you your body back._

**_But it would please Armitage._ **

_……….Force, you’re learning._

**_I can’t read, but I can manipulate!_ **

_Hold your gualamas, you are but the learner. I am the master._

**_……What’s a gualama?_ **

_Just watch the master at work._

In the Initiates’ Hall, Ben sits up on his bed roll and looks across his fellow Initiates. Tahiri Veila’s drool forms a puddle on her yellow hair. Cilghal makes bubbles in her seapod. Tekli’s bat-like snout twitches as she dreams of cyperill tree withstanding a tsunami. Saba Sebatyne clutches tightly at the dagger underneath her pillow. Elke Vetter hugs her Empress Fel doll to her chest. Tionne uses her _Jedi Path_ book as a pillow.

Ben imparts the Force-command for them to sleep deeper, not wanting any of them to disrupt his plans. When they all collectively snore, he uses the Force to silence his steps as he leaves the room and searches for his mom.

He finds her in the makeshift conference room that Mothma used to preside in during the hectic last days of the Empire. His mom has a sky-blue shimmersilk robe over her nightgown. Her hair is braided, but in a hurry since he can see tufts sticking out of the knots. She’s sitting down barely paying attention to the datapad in her hands. He approaches her with downcast eyes like he’s ashamed. 

“Mom, I can’t sleep.” He even rubs his eyes for good measure. She puts down the datapad on the holoprojector console.

“Neither can I, starbird.” She picks him up and puts her on her lap with an _oomph_. He hugs her and glances over her shoulder at the datapad.

“Are you catching up on work?” _And it looks like a proposal from the Nagai. **The what?** The Knives people. **The what!?** They’re some alien race in the Unknown Regions, and it looks like they want to set-up a face-to-face meeting on their homeworld. _

“Threepio just dropped it off; I may need to go to Chandrila.” _She’s going to solicit Mothma for advice. **Why?** Because Mothma is her mother figure, and she wants her approval. **Why?** Because her mom, her dad, and the entire planet of Alderaan are dead. **I’m glad I don’t have any of those.**_

“…….May I come with you?” He says as quietly as the fluttering of a butterfly’s wings. She kisses the top of his head; he hears rejection humming in their bond. So he takes it away.

“I’m scared that…..it’ll happen again, and I-I won’t ever see you again!” **_What is that sound you’re making?_** _I’m sniffling. **Why? Are you allergic to your mom?!** No, crying is a powerful tool for manipulation, but only employed at the right time. _

“Oh, Ben, you can come with me.” His mom hugs him tighter, and he buries his crying face into her and stains her robe.

**_Huh, I didn’t think you could cry just like that._ **

_I really can’t. The more truth you put in a lie the better it is, and I was afraid that I was never going to see her again when I was in your gullet._

**_What about your dad?_ **

_I’d miss him, but I would never cry for him. He hates crying._

**_What about Armitage?_ **

_If it brings us closer._

* 

Armitage Hux leaves the Commandant after an hour of being in his company for a very important task: he has to make sure that Ben and Dead-Star are okay.

Unfortunately, finding them is far more challenging than he ever thought. The Commandant has only been confined to his bed, so he has now knowledge of the layout. So Armitage decides to give himself an impromptu tour and hopes to find someone who can give him direction.

After about ten minutes of wandering, he finds his way to the hangar where he sees the _Millennium Falcon_ with its ramp down.

_“Chewie, hand me the cape.”_

The Wookie grumbles with disapproval.

_“It’s armorweave; it’ll hold until I get my hands on some spacer’s tape.”_

Armitage decides to leave before he gets caught up in an explosion from the hack repair job. From there it only takes him another five minutes to find the Initiates’ Hall.

The Initiates’ Hall reminds him a lot of the Stormtrooper barracks back in the Academy. A hallway nearly nine meters long, but only a fraction occupied. The walls in that fraction have old Rebellion and New Republic propaganda posters, while also sporting a couple of holo-star maps of the known galaxy.

Instead of bunk beds with small lockers at the foot of them, there are just bed rolls with children in them. From what he can tell, there are four humans, a Chandra-Fan, and a Mon Calamari suspended in a miniature seapod. 

_How did they not sense me? Does Skywalker put sleeping potions in their teas before bed? And from what I can tell, the majority are female. Huh, I guess Ashla grew weary of the patriarchy._

He leaves the Initiates be and wanders for a good ten minutes before he catches the sound of a large nose snort.

_THE PRINCE!_ He thinks immediately and sprints to the sound. He skids to a halt before the doorway and sees the Senator comforting the Prince.

“Prince, are you okay!?” The mother and son pair look at him with shared confusion.

“Why are you shirtless?” The Senator inquires as the Prince hurriedly wipes away his dribbling snot with the back of his Jedi tunic sleeve.

“Because it’s humid.”

“But why the cowl?” The Prince asks, and this time Armitage blushes and looks down at his boots.

“It makes me feel like a superhero.”      

*

_“It makes me feel like a superhero.”_

Xanatos and Bruck nearly choke on their laughter, while Anakin smiles in the face of their mockery.

“F-Force, that’s s-so–” Bruck begins, expecting Xanatos to finish for him.

“Heroic!” Anakin delivers to them like a firm slap to their faces.

“Anakin, he looks like a half-naked fool.” Xanatos declares with utter certainty.

“And capes get stuck on everything unless you use the Force.” Bruck then coughs _Vader_ into his balled-up fist.

Anakin ignores him serendipitously and returns his attention to the holo-screen. He sees that Armitage is now sweating like he ran a meter and holds out a piece of flimsi to Leia. She takes it and skims through it; she frowns pensively.

_“What’s it say, mom?”_

_“It says: ‘I, Brendol Hux, of sound mind and health, do hereby transfer the property known as Armitage Hux to Leia Organa for a period of no more than two months.’”_

Bruck looks at Anakin and then quickly at Xanatos; he swallows and then points out the bantha in the room.

“So is Armitage a slave?”

And the Jedi Afterlife experiences a seismic quake.

*

In a small stone hut, just a small distance from the Jedi Praxeum, two boys share a bedroll together. The light, a tea candle, has gone out, but neither move to re-light it.

“Your mom looked really sad.”

“She was masking her fury and didn’t want you to think that it was your fault.”

“I mean it kind of is. If I wasn’t born, this wouldn’t be a problem.”

“It shouldn’t be though. Your….sire is a Commandant; he should have the power to make you a citizen.”

“If I had an Imperial or First Order birth certificate, then I’d be halfway there. The other half would be me submitting my genetic record to the First Order database.”

“Why in the Hells would you need to do that?”

“The Medical division could see if there’s any preventive diseases in me and treat me accordingly. But it’s mostly so old-school Imperial families aren’t marrying their progeny into a genetic cesspool. Which, given how my other parent is a human-mutant, I would be that.”

“………That’s so karking stupid!”

“Hmm, I don’t really think so; it also prevents accidental incest from happening because there are certainly a lot of bastards running about. Granted, most of those bastards get sent to the Stormtrooper program along with all the unwanted orphans.”

“You’re a bastard, why didn’t you end up in the program?”

“Because the Commandant loves me and, most importantly, can afford to take care of me.”

“………And?”

“And Grand Admiral Sloane has high hopes for me.”

“Why?”

“Aside, from spitefully thinking that it’ll piss the Commandant off if I became more important than him, I believe it’s because I have the right circumstances to become someone great.”

“……Explain.”

“From her perspective, I started out with nothing. I’m the Commandant’s bastard who he didn’t bother to file/forge flimsi-work to get me Imperial citizenship, so under Imperial law I’d just be property. In the First Order, it’s largely the same, but if I graduate from the Academy, then I’ll get my citizenship.”

“You are the number one student in the Academy, so you’re getting there.”

“Yeah, but then I’m supposed to climb my way in the hierarchy and become the _Grand Marshal_.”

“……………………….I don’t know what that is, but it sounds stupid.”

“It really is, Dead-Star. It’s basically a knockoff of _Grand Admiral_ , except it means I’ll have control of the military and answer only to the Supreme Leader. I think she’s hoping when that happens I’ll do a coup and become the new Supreme Leader. If I do that, I’m immediately changing that title to _Emperor_.”

“Will you do that?”

“Maybe, but that’s like decades from now. Right now, I’m more worried about if I even get to go to Chandrila.”

“You will.”

“Considering your mom’s reaction, I don’t think Chandrila will accept that piece of flimsi as a temporary visa.”

“You are mom’s………. _responsibility_ now.”

“That is true. And if worse comes to worse, she can smuggle me in her carry-on!”

“……………Yes, shall we sleep now?”

“Yes! Goodnight, Prince.”

“Goodnight, Armitage.”

“Goodnight, Dead-Star.”

“Goodnight, property.”

And Dead-Star licks him on the cheek, while Armitage sighs.

*


	2. The Prophecy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's a lot of talking in this one.

Knight-Errantly Chapter One

*

Suggested Theme:

Main Theme- Houkago Destruction by Etsuko Yakushimaru

*

            Brendol has braced himself for the oncoming storm of castigation and self-righteousness for the past twenty minutes. He knows that even with Armitage as his innocent champion; there’s no way Rama’s son can assuage the former Rebel Princess like he does with her son. And if he wasn’t currently bedridden with a new hip, he would be flying away in his brother’s ship and avoiding another migraine.

She appears, not in a Force-generated flurry, but with loud tip-toes. There’s a hardness in her brown eyes that reminds him of Sloane’s, but he knows that Sloane would never ever come before him in her sleeping attire. Sloane loathed even having her hands naked.

“Senator, to what do I owe this visit?” He recites like Tarkin did for the politicians he didn’t like during the Clone Wars and beyond.

“Your son is your slave.” She gets right to the point just like Sloane.

“No, he isn’t. Legally, he’s my property.” She narrows her eyes, while Brendol remains firmly upright.

“How is that any different from being a slave?” _Like you know anything about being a slave for more than a day._ He would’ve plainly retorted if he were her age again.

“For one, I don’t abuse him. For two, he’s mostly human, so he’s not allowed to be a slave in the First Order. Finally, he’s in the Academy, not in the Stormtrooper corps.”

“The Stormtroopers are slaves then?”

“No, most of the children are _wards_ of the First Order and have citizenship, while some will receive citizenship upon completing the program. Just like Armitage will be once he graduates from the Academy.” Her pink lips pull into a tight frown.

“Taken from their families just like the Jedi of old did?” _Force, I wish it was Sloane, at least then I could just be silent because most of her accusations were true._

“No, most were unwanted orphans and the rest came from families that couldn’t provide for them and wanted the best for them.” He gives her credit for not going white or red with rage.

“I will concede you have the moral high ground, but being lawfully good does not eliminate consequences. And those consequences were confused, vengeful _humans_ exiled to the Unknown Regions because they refused to submit to the New Republic.” Her lips open slightly, but he closes them. “And almost all refused to submit because it would be dishonoring the memories of their loved ones.”

“……..Now, they’re using their children for their vengeance.”

“I would agree most of the highborn Old Imperials are, but the common folk just want their children to survive.”

“They would survive and thrive in the New Republic.” He shakes head to prevent himself from scoffing at her.

“If they had Rebel sympathies, then that would be the case because I’d imagine the New Republic would welcome them with open arms. However, most couldn’t even fathom the Empire losing to you. Yet, it happened, and they lost everything.”

“But they wouldn’t have if they swore their–”

“Considering how most estates came from confiscated lands of _traitors_ , they would not have kept those lands even if they took the oath.” Her silence confirms the truth.

“So with no land, no civilization, all they had left was their hatred. And with hatred, the First Order was guaranteed their eternal loyalty.”

“How would you have remedied that?” She expects no answer, but Brendol surprises her and himself.

“I would’ve killed them all.” Her brown eyes brighten with horror. “They are determined to bring down the New Republic. Be it through the spineless Centrists or cold war. They have taught their younglings to hate you without question, and those children will offer your children no mercy.”

“Then, why is Armitage so different?”

“Because he’s the child of the Unknown.”  

*

If there’s one constant that Kanan Jarrus, formerly known as Caleb Dume, grew weary of in the afterlife, it was never defeating Mace Windu in his Vaapad form. He can count on one hand how many times he was able to beat his Grandmaster in other forms, but he couldn’t count how many times he lost to Vaapad. His Master teased that it will prevent him from being living-obsessed like Skywalker.

However, a quake tears through the salle and causes Mace to lose his concentration for a split second, allowing Kanan to knock the training saber out of his hand.

“What in the Force caused that, Grandmaster?”

“That would be Skywalker finally losing it.”

“What would make him lose it now?” _He shockingly didn’t go nuts when his daughter married the smuggler. Or at least that’s what Depa told me._

“Probably something to do with the Armitage youngling.”

“……….Should we do something for him?”

“If Yoda needs us, he’ll let us know.” _Translation: Kriff Skywalker and his mother-kriffing problems._

Kanan shrugs and accepts his Grandmaster’s wisdom.

*   

Ben Solo Organa squeezes his right fist to dust the desert-colored Franjo Pancakes in powder sugar. He then garnishes with candied nikkle nuts, making an outline of a cartoonish dragon.

**_That’s not what I looked like! My eyes weren’t so huge and my body wasn’t that puny! And why am I silver?!_ **

_I used the last of the chooca nuts for Chewie’s Ewoks. And I’m not a professional food designer._

**_You’re able to make an exact likeness of a starbird._ **

_That’s because I have years of experience in doing that design. And you don’t even know what a starbird looks like._

**_You were picturing; ergo, I saw it._ **

_You only know “ergo” because of me._

**_Kark you. I learned that from Armitage._ **

Ben rolls his eyes and then sets the last plate of Franjo Pancakes on the repulsor trolley. He pushes it lightly past the vine-carved archway; he sees his family in their usual sitting arrangements. Mom and dad right next to each other with an empty seat on mom’s side. Uncle Luke sits across mom, while Uncle Chewie sits across dad. He’s not worried that his Wistie will sit next to Luke because there were at least a hundred unfilled seats and tables in the Praxeum Refectory. And his Wistie still loathes Luke with a passion that burned brighter than his hair.

Before he can deliver the customized pancakes, his Wistie enters with his cape thrashing against him like he’s comprised of furious wind elementals. His cowl is pulled over half his face, but he see those lips stretched into a thin line, teetering on a sneer.

His Wistie flashes his eyes right as Leia looks up from her datapad; briefly, her brown eyes widen with surprise. His Wistie turns his face away and sharply rounds the rectangular table’s corner. He takes a seat away from her.

**_Why is he angry at her?_ **

_How do you know he’s angry at her? Maybe he’s taking his anger out on mom because of something the Commandant said._

**_That’s not what my gut is telling me._ **

_My gut._

**_Synonyms–_ **

_Semantics._

**_Shut the kark up and listen! He purposely looked in her direction, so she would see his anger._ **

_Hmm, if that were the case, then why?_

**_For dominance._ **

_And how would you know what “dominance” is?_

**_Because your grandfather crushed my chest in to show his._ **

_………We’ll ask him about his motives later._

**_Fine._ **

Ben lays his Wistie’s plate before him. His Wistie reaches for his cowl and pulls it back to reveal the short glory of his red hair and green eyes. His Wistie smiles up at him.

“Thank you, it looks delicious as always, Prince!” _He’s happy now. **He’s too forgiving.**_

“You’re welcome, my W–Armitage.” **_Great, now Skywalker is looking at us._** _Jedi aren’t supposed to be possessive. **Nor are they supposed to have attachments.** You paid attention to the Sith Spirit’s lecture? **Exar Kun knew the weaknesses of Jedi, and that happened to be useful. Also, Skywalker is almost as annoying as Kun.**_

“And it’s the Great Dragon!” His Wistie practically squeals like a newborn gualama, causing Han to give him a sideway look.

Ben hustles and gives his hungry family their breakfast in a span of twenty seconds, not wanting to miss the drama about to ensue.

“The what?”

“The Great Dragon. He breathed life into the galaxy, which I think would be impossible since he was also a creation of the Lost Tribe of Sith.” Now, Luke pays their Wistie with his horrified attention.

“There’s a Lost Tribe of Sith!” **_There’s a Lost Tribe of Sith?_**

“There was a Lost Tribe of Sith, so you won’t need to wage a war to kill them.” Their Wistie flashes his slightly crooked teeth like a predatory tusk-cat laying a trap.  

“It’s the Sith that wage war, Jedi defend the innocent caught up in the crossfire.” Their Wistie’s lips twitch with either disguised delight or an annoyed sneer.

“That all depends on point of view.” Their Wistie’s eyes lighten to a watery blue. “The Commandant told me that the Lost Tribe of Sith made dragons because they could. And these dragons were revered and loved by them.”

“What happened to them?” Leia piped up, and their Wistie deigns her with a glance.

“They fought a foe they could not beat, and only the Great Dragon was left.”

“So it’s only great by default.” **_Shut it, Han!_**

“ _He’s_ great because–” While their Wistie and Han argue, Dead-Star decides to make a proposal to Ben.

**_I have come up with a brilliant solution for our prediction!_ **

_Predicament._

**_When we make it to Nagi, we steal your dad’s ship and look for the Great Dragon!_ **

_Why?_

**_Remember how you took over that half-dragon?_ **

_The Battle-Hydra?_

**_Yes, that yellow monstrosity! You took it over, so Armitage could kill it and be a hero._ **

_That was my intention, but my Wistie is very skilled with the electric guitar. Did you come through my memories for that?_

**_Yes. And when we find the Great Dragon, I want you to take over its mind and kill it like you did with the bird._ **

_Ah, I see where you’re going. When I kill it mentally, then you’ll take over its mind._

**_YES! I’LL BE A DRAGON AGAIN!!!_ **

_But you’ll come to our aid when we need you?_

**_Wait, who’s the other person in this?_ **

_Our Wistie._

**_Of course, I’ll give him all the rides he wants and I’ll burn all the people you want me to burn._ **

_And the Academy._

**_Starting with the Academy!_ **

*

Desolous knew that the quake was caused by Anakin in reaction to Armitage’s status in the First Order and to what Armitage must be to Brendol. The latter was wrong, but he knows that Anakin couldn’t possibly figure that out on his own. Which is why he immediately goes to Anakin’s room. He sees Bruck Chun and Xanatos, covered in head-to-toe in duracrete dust, guarding the door.

“Did he destroy his room?”

“Trying to!” Bruck snorts.

“Is the door locked?”

“Of course not! It never is here…..” Bruck lightly complains, “We’re just waiting out here to see which poor soul will come to investigate first. I was betting on Yoda.”

“Mine was Qui-Gon. Frankly, I’m disappointed in him.”

“You’re both wrong.” Desolous intones. “Move aside.”

Bruck looks up at his former Dark Jedi Master for direction; Xanatos nods at the order. They both move away and walk down the hall, conversing in low tones.

“I bet Anakin’s going to toss him around like a rag doll.”

“Oh, Bruck, I’m more concerned about getting the dust out of my hair than that ghoul.”

Desolous wills himself not to roll his silver eyes at the Telosians. He goes through the door and stops right at the threshold.

Inside, red and gold lava fill a sea and roils against the centuries-old harden magma. He walks across the blacken ground; his boots leave cracks for a splash of red and gold to seep in and preserve his steps.

Thousands of red, gold, and black steps later, he finds Anakin. However, this isn’t Anakin with his shaggy hair and youthful arrogance.

The man before him is hunched over a pool, separate from the sea. He has a brown coat slung over his broad shoulders that Jedi Masters like Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan would wear in the field. Thick, silver eclipses the formerly golden locks, and the ends bristle like the mane of an old lion.

“Who are you?” The words slip through Desolous’s sharp teeth.

“I am what I could’ve been if I stayed a Jedi.”

“Jedi Master Skywalker.”

Skywalker cranes his head back. The lines on his face knit handsomely together with his bold smile. Combined with the beard on his face, Desolous is certain that Skywalker would have been a king in another life.

“Yes, this face seems right for that.”

“But do you have the wisdom of one?”

“Ask me another question, and we shall see.”

“Do you hate Brendol Hux?”

The smile sours and curdles into a silent snarl.

“Will you _listen_ to my defense of him?”  

Skywalker inhales through his nose and then exhales dramatically through his redden lips.

“I will.”

“Armitage has two parents. The _sire_ is Brendol, while the _father_ is the spawn of Chaos.”

“Figuratively, I presume.”

“The father is an Umbaran/Human hybrid, but also a mutant.”

“……..A mutant? Naturally or manufactured?

“Naturally. His mother overestimated her prowess in DNA manipulation.”

“Wait, wouldn’t that make him more manufactured then?”

“We can argue about semantics later. One of the spawn’s mutation allowed for him to become pregnant and carry Brendol’s child to full term. Unfortunately, he lacked the necessary parts to birth Armitage, so a C-section was the only way for Armitage to come into the world. Thankfully, it appears that he could only be pregnant once. Odds are this unique trait carried over to Armitage.”

“…………That will be interesting to see if my future descendants have that ability!”

“Focus.” Desolous narrows his silver eyes for good measure. “Brendol got a meddroid and had it perform the operation in his old cabin that became his hunting _shed_ when he married Maratelle. Now, why do you think he would go this route instead of going to a hospital?”

“…………..Because he was ashamed of them?”

“Never.” He gnashes on the growl that threatened to rip out of his throat. “Especially not the spawn of Chaos!”

“Does the spawn have a name?”

“It’s Triclops, but spawn is far more accurate.”

“Who in the Netherworld would name their child that?”

“Chaos.” Desolous dryly answers and moves on. “Since the spawn was a mutant, it means that Armitage is also, albeit less severely. But still a mutant. Refresh my memory, M’Lord, what happens to mutants in the Empire?”

“I don’t know. I presume the ones who followed the law and remained unseen were left alone. I heard some mutants were able to kill Decoy Squad Five during Order 66, but I think it was Yoda and Obi-Wan who really did it…”

“They were taken away to be experimented on and to see if they had any Force-sensitivity; most were killed in the experiments and nearly all tested negative for Force-sensitivity. And do you think an Imperial doctor wouldn’t have immediately reported a half-mutant born to a mutant? Brendol would’ve lost them and shortly would’ve lost his life in trying to take them back.”

“……….Okay, I understand with the Empire, but what about under the First Order?”

“Hardly any different from the Empire. Even if Brendol had a fake birth certificate for Armitage, the boy would’ve been tested at some point and his mutant heritage would’ve been made public. Even Sloane wouldn’t have been able to hide it. Then, Armitage would’ve been placed in the Stormtrooper program, never allowed to be anything more than fodder.”   

“……….But what about Triclops? What did he do during all this?”

“He abandoned them both and became a prince in the shadows.”

*

Han Solo has no idea what his son sees in Armitage. The ginger-haired boy refused to admit that the _Great Dragon_ was just a fantasy that some drunk, probably Brendol, made up to make the Unknown Regions seem _magical_. While Ben just sat there, completely enraptured by the bantha poodoo that was coming out of this delusional kid’s mouth.

But at least Ben wants to be around someone.

Even before they sent him packing to Luke’s Jedi Academy, Ben was aloof like a finicky Loth-cat that deigned a select few worthy of his time.

And most of the time, Han wasn’t worthy.

It wouldn’t be a stretch to think that his constant absences due to his life as a smuggler contributed to the distance. It also didn’t help that they had very little in common; Ben likes piloting, the tooka doll, and Chewie, but that was about it. Ben was more Leia’s son, particularly enjoying the pomp that politics required.

After being sent to the Academy, Ben began to distance himself from her and typically regarded her with suspicion like she was going to betray him.

Whenever he looked at her like that, his heart would ache for her and then for himself. Because Ben reminded him of Qi’ra in those moments. Qi’ra who he left behind and got brought down to the Underworld. Qi’ra who held enough affection for him to spare him the descent. Qi’ra who he hasn’t seen in nearly twenty-five years.

And Ben believes in Armitage like Qi’ra once did for him. A small smile and eyes brimming with affection; the same look that Qi’ra gave him when he promised that they would escape Corellia and its poverty.

Now, the pair are standing before the _Millennium Falcon_ holding each other’s hands, while the adults finish loading the last of the supplies onboard.

“I wonder what kind of adventures will get into!”

“Hopefully, none.”

But Ben’s small smile indicates otherwise.

“Mother isn’t satisfied with you bringing one bag of clothes for a month-long trip.”

“It’s not like I could wear my Academy uniform over there, so she’ll just have to put up with it.”

Armitage grins crookedly.

“I’ll buy you some clothes when we get there.”

“I don’t want to waste all your credits.”

“Don’t worry, mother gives me a weekly allowance of–”

Ben whispers the amount into Armitage’s ear, and those green eyes grow comically wide.

“WHAT THE F–”

And Han swears his eardrum bursts from that pre-pubescent screech.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Comments- Here is the link:
> 
> Here is a link to an image of my imagined middle-aged Anakin; he’s the one on the left. I chose Robert Shaw’s Henry VIII in A Man for All Seasons. While I was watching A Man for All Seasons, I thought his Henry VIII could’ve easily been what Anakin could’ve become in middle-age. So Robert Shaw gets to be middle-aged Ani, while Sebastian Shaw is old Ani: [Link](https://pmcvariety.files.wordpress.com/2017/01/a-man-for-all-seasons1.jpg?w=1000)
> 
> The mutants killing Decoy Squad Five is actually a reference to what happens in Matthew Strover’s novelization of RoTS, except the mutants were actually Yoda and Obi-Wan in disguise and they did kill Decoy Squad Five. 
> 
> One of my goals in this series that I set for myself was to write about Han more. Originally, I didn’t have that goal but after watching Solo, I found a way I could write about him. His relationship with Qi’ra, Emilia Clarke’s character and the Mother of Dragons, fascinated me and I wanted to do something with that. Does that mean Qi’ra will show up in this series? Well, you’ll have to wait and read. 
> 
> Next chapter should finally be about the trip to Chandrila, meeting up with retired Mothma, and Armitage getting a make-over.


	3. The Defender

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The weak must be defended.

Knight-Errantly Chapter Two

**

Suggested Theme:

Main Theme- Tom Bombadil's Song, Hey Dol! Merry Dol! by Tolkien Ensemble

**

            “Have you ever thought of donating your allowance to refurbish the ship’s interior?”

“If father would accept his arrangement, then he would feel obligated in letting me do the redecorating. That will never happen since our tastes differ.”

“What a diplomatic way of saying that he has sh–poodoo tastes.” Ben snorts at Armitage’s self-censorship, while Dead-Star rolls his eyes at them.

**_Looks don’t matter._ **

_Then, why are you so intent on reclaiming your natural form?_

**_Fine! Looks don’t matter in objects._ **

_What about stars?_

**_Well, taste matters more than looks. Some stars are quite pleasant to eat, while others crush your chest and you’re left in utter agony until that Skywalker–_ **

Han boards the ship, lugging a storage cube over his shoulders. He’s wearing a frown on his face like he heard something stupid.

“Yes, and your tastes have you dressed up like a Rootai.”   ** _What the kark is a Rootai?_** _An Umbaran who’s a member of the highest-ranked caste; they’re practically royalty. **How is that an insult?** Because they dress melodramatically. **So they dress like idiots?** Exactly. **What’s an Umbaran?** Shadow People. _

“Actually, it would be more accurate to call me a Bgztlian since I am wearing their most renowned hero’s colors!” Armitage shoots back, while Han stares at him for half a second before scoffing and walking away from them.

“Is a Bgztlian an alien race in the Unknown Regions?”

“Nah, they’re from the DC comics.” **_Is that another part of the galaxy?_** _No, it’s just comics. **And those are?** Stories that hinge on their art rather than their words. **Hmm, I might be interested in those kinds of books.** _

“Prince, where am I staying?”

“In my quarters, Dead-Star would cry if he had to sleep by himself!’

**_NO, I WOULDN’T, YOU LIAR!!!_ **

_Quit shouting!_

“Yeah, right!” Armitage laughs and then whispers, “I think we should get to your room fast. I bet Dead-Star is getting antsy being stuck in your head.”

“He should be grateful; my mind is a beautiful place.”

**_Liar, there aren’t any stars here!_ **

_I’ll imagine you some._

**_They aren’t the same, you piece of kark!_ **

The trio make their way to their quarters with nary a fuss.

*

Their Wistie gapes at the bookshelf, most likely amazed by the amount of leather-bound, paper books. Most of the books were Life Day gifts from family friends, his mother, and his uncle. Armitage bolts to it and crouches to the lowest shelf where the miscellaneous books were sorted; he pulls one out that Ben hasn’t read since he first bought it.

“You have _Starfire Volume Two_!!” And then their Wistie makes an undignified squeal before continuing, “And you have _Jean Grey: Psych Wars Part 1_!”

**_Is he dying?_ **

_I’d say he’s having a fangasm._

**_What is that?_ **

_A fan having an orgasm._

**_What’s an orgasm?_ **

_When you’re beyond happiness._

**_Have you ever had one?_ **

_No, but I haven’t hit puberty._

**_When will that happen?_ **

_When I’m twelve, most likely._

“I take it you like those two comic books.” Armitage nods his head vigorously and continues scouring through the collection for more comics, but then hands his head when he finds no more.

“Why do you care for these comics?” Armitage stands up and turns with a comic in each hand; their Wistie looks at them with such determination that it makes them squirm inwardly.

“I’ll start with Starfire since she’s not as confusing as Jean Grey. In most iterations, Starfire, her real name is Koriand’r, is a princess of Tamaran and blessed with superpowers natural to her kind, while her older sister, Komand’r aka Blackfire, had none and hated her. She married twice, once for a peace treaty and another out of love, but both died; she was eventually sold into slavery but escaped to Earth where she joined the Teen Titans. Usually, she ends up with Dick Grayson, the first Robin and Nightwing. She’s typically optimistic, sociable, and sexually open; she’s sort of like a redheaded version of Barbarella. She’s usually a supporting character, but she finally got her own solo series! ”

“I see.” **_I don’t really understand what he said._** _Sometimes it’s best to pretend you do for the sake of your sanity. **So we shouldn’t ask about this Barbarella?** Exactly.  _

“Jean Grey……to be honest, it would be better to start with the movies before I launch into her entire publication history. The movies are like a primer and typically easier to get into for uninitiated. But I don’t see my bag anywhere!”

“Chewie must’ve misplaced it; I’ll fetch it.” Ben offers with his most charming smile; Dead-Star once more rolls his nonexistent eyes at him.

“Thanks, Prince!” Armitage smiles back for a moment before returning to the bookshelf. Ben leaves to do as he promises.

**_Why are you walking so far away from your room?_ **

_The guest room is right by my parents’; it used to be mine._

**_Why isn’t it your room still?_ **

_When I was four, I got a choice to stay in that room or choose another. I chose the room farthest away from my parents’._

**_Why?_ **

_Because I was tired of listening to my parents having sex._

**_Oh………that’s bad, right?_ **

_As bad as a sister romantically kissing her brother in front of her future husband._

*

“Ben is just as bad as the kid when it comes to picking friends.” Han announces to his wife as he enters their shared quarters; Leia hardly looks up from her datapad.

“Luke is fond of the...Commandant.” She answers diplomatically like she’s conversing with another senator, which slightly aggravates him.

“It’s excusable in Ben since he’s young and _introverted_ , but Luke should know better!”

“It’s not like Luke has any other adults to talk to, and he can only converse with taciturn Artoo so much.” Neither of them bring up Threepio.

“Still hasn’t found any success in finding other Jedi survivors?”

She shakes her head.

“Maybe you’ll find some at Nagi.” He predicts.

“If I go.” She corrects him.

“You will go because you and the kid could never resist adventure.” He counters and is met without much resistance.

“No, no we couldn’t.”

She kisses him deeply.

*

While the Prince was away on his quest, Armitage puts away the comic books in their proper space and appraises the rest of the royal bedroom. The smile he wore leaves without a word, while his eyes change into a crystal blue.

_His room is so much like Jacen’s. A queen’s bed with high-end sheets. A closet bursting with fashionable clothes and shoes. An antiquated sewing machine, but the Prince’s is more for aesthetics than for affordability; a great description for this room as a whole._

_A little, round table decorated with a rosy, porcelain tea set; Jacen’s table was a square missing a leg and his tea set was a rainbow mismatch of ceramic. Glass dolls of Queen Amidala, Duchess Satine, and Princess Leia sit in their own little thrones; Jacen had plasticine dolls that were knockoffs of knockoffs and they all shared an upside down box._

_The Prince has all the birthright and prestige that Jacen would covet. I doubt Jacen would befriend his cousin; in fact, he’d resent him and presume that he was a prat wasting his golden opportunities. But it’s his family’s fault for trading in the Prince’s silver spoon for Jedi austerity; there’s no way he chose being Jedi over this without his family pressuring him to do so. What a waste, and Jacen would agree but still hate his cousin. It’s best if they never meet, or, else, this could end up like Mordred and Arthur._

His eyes catches something pink hiding under the table; he pulls out the thrones and crouches down to examine the pink thing. He finds a miniature AT-AT much like Jaina’s, except it was painted hot pink and the top taken off.

“Ah, you’ve found the convertible.” Armitage nearly bangs his head at the Prince’s voice. He gets out from under and stands up to see the Prince with the duffel bag hanging off one shoulder like an expensive purse.

“Is this a new toy from Dr. Fool?” _His toys cost at least 1,000 credits; I didn’t think his mom was the kind to waste credits on toys._

“No, it was a miniature AT-AT that father and I _refurbished_ ; it was one of the few projects we could do together…” The Prince’s smiles widen. “If you think my mother would buy it, then you’re wrong. She helped put down some of the miniature AT-ATs when they went rogue in 1.5 ABY, so he felt indebted to her and the Rebellion’s silence.”

“Are the dolls also his?”

“Yes, he made quite a pretty credit after the Empire’s dissolution on his Rebellion line of dolls; my mother sold the most.”

“Of course she would, she’s a real-life princess.” Armitage pauses. “Queen, she’s a queen, right?”

“In name only. She actually wanted to get rid of all the trappings of the monarchy on New Alderaan, but the diaspora wouldn’t let her.”

“Of course they wouldn’t, she’s the last of the beloved royal family, and looks so _perfect_ through their rose-tinted glasses!” The Prince’s eyes widen.

“I’m sorry that was….mean.” _Not completely wrong since nostalgia is more effective than a Jedi mind trick. Yet, she isn’t a viper like most of the First Order politicians, nor is she cold like Mothma. But I can’t forgive her this soon!_

“All is forgiven.” The Prince anoints him with a magnanimous smile.

“How long are we going to be in hyperspace?”

“About two hours.”

“Just enough time to watch _X-Men_!”

“Before that, Dead-Star wishes to speak with you.” The Prince closes his eyes for half a heartbeat and opens to reveal the yellow slits of the dragon.

“Armitage….” _Usually, he calls me “human,” but recently he’s been calling me by name. Does that mean we’re friends now? I better not tease him about it; he can be unreasonable like a one-note tsundere._

“Yes, Dead-Star?” Dead-Star’s cheeks splotch pink, and then he walks right into Armitage’s personal space. He gives him a lick on his cheek.

“I missed you too, buddy!”

“My name is Dead-Star.”

*

“We should watch the kids.”

“What brought this on?”

Desolous raises an eyebrow ridge.

“The Force.”

“Poodoo, you _hate_ not knowing every sordid detail of your lineage’s lives.”

“That is true, but the Force is telling _us_ to do this.”

“If you claim so, then summon up the projector and watch them.”

“I can’t; we need to go to your room.”

“This is your room, you can conjure up anything that you desire.” Desolous reminds the prodigal Jedi without a whiff of exasperation.

“Let’s just go to your room.” Anakin insists.

“Fine.”

As they walk away from the imagined gloom of Mustafar, they pass by Master Windu and Kanan Jarrus; Jarrus stops for a moment and nearly asks who the other Jedi was. But Windu firmly grips his arm.

“It’s Skywalker.”

“How can you tell?”

“Because my blood pressure spiked.”

He lets go and walks away; Jarrus stares momentarily at Desolous who looks back.

_I’ll tell you everything later._

Jarrus nods and follows after his Grandmaster.

In Desolous’s room, the holoprojector is there and on because he willed it. The _Millennium Falcon_ has touched down on Chandrila, safely secured in its eternally reserved spot. The Skywalker-Organa-Solo unit exit with little fanfare and loads of luggage. The children come out last; they’re arguing whether Magneto and Xavier were on-and-off lovers or platonic friends. Ben argues the former, while Armitage argues the latter.

“Who are they talking about?”

“The once and future couple of Brendol’s beloved superhero franchise.”

“……That didn’t really answer my question.”

 “You would have to sit through about eleven holos to _begin_ wrapping your head around it.”

“Oh…did you watch them with Hux?”

“No.” He says softly with regret. “I watched him and Armitage watch them over and over again.”

“Was that all they watched?”

“No, they watched nearly everything on that little red datapad, mostly during holidays and summers. They’re nearly identical.”

“How’d you mean?”

“Not just physically, but in personality.”

“………How? Hux isn’t an innocent!”

“Oh, but he is. He’s always been innocent, just unable to believe in it. Armitage is what Brendol should’ve been if he was raised with love and freedom.”

“You’re factoring out the other father from this theory.”

“Of course I am, that man is the Son of Chaos! I was worried that the child would turn out like him; it was for the best that he left, so Armitage could remain pure.” _Like his parents never could be._  

“It sounds more like you’re jealous _that man_ became Brendol’s true love.”

“Wouldn’t you if Amidala chose Rush Clovis?” Desolous counters, and Anakin’s red lips curl into a feral snarl. “Now you understand, but primitively.”

“Don’t ever bring up that foppish Separatist sympathizer!” Rage destroys the illusion of middle-age in Anakin, reducing him to the golden, imperfect youth.

“Or you’ll cut me down, Lord Vader?”

Anakin’s face crumbles and he looks away in shame.

“Are you me subjected to the Seven Sith Hells of Brendol and Triclops?”

“Perhaps, if Ashla didn’t favor you so.”

“…….The kids won’t end up like us, right?”

“It’s really up to them now, isn’t it?”

“What can we do then?”

“Watch them, mostly. Protect them if the Force lets us.”

“You’ll protect Armitage from his other father then?”

“……If only I could. I’ll protect him from your grandson.”

“What?! Ben loves him and would never hurt him.”

“You were the same way with Amidala, do I need to remind you what happened?”

“He’s not me!”

“But he’s very like you, actually sort of worse. That child has an inclination to the Dark Side, and he didn’t need a Sith’ari didn’t have to manufacture a war for that to happen.”

“………..Ben hasn’t hurt anyone recently.” _Not a flyboy. Not a hydra!_

“So long as no one comes between him and Armitage. But it will happen.”

“How are you this certain?”

“Because they’re keeping secrets from each other, and that never ends well…” Desolous looks away to his cold cup of bloody tea.

“What secret is Armitage keeping?”

“What secret is Ben keeping?”

They stare at each other for a moment before going back to the holo. The children soak in the rays of Chandrila’s single sun; Armitage looks up with his eyes closed to bask in it, not noticing Ben’s look.

Anakin calls it love.

Desolous calls it possession.

The Force says nothing.   

*

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Comments: There are no links this time. 
> 
> The miniature AT-ATs come from Star Wars: Galaxies and were an event that happen in 1.5 ABY if you destroyed one you got the title of “Toy Recaller.” 
> 
> Boy, this was a very chatty chapter, but I got to write some romantic fluff between Han and Leia, which I think is my first. Next chapter, I will really explore Chandrila, and perhaps get into some future intrigue.
> 
> Next chapter: Ben takes Armitage on a tour of Chandrila after a shopping spree, Luke and Brendol have another chat, and the Force Ghosts get some surprising information.


	4. The Innocent

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Armitage and Ben go shopping, while Anakin and Desolous peep on Luke and Brendol.

Knight-Errantly Chapter Three

***

Suggested Theme:

Main Theme- Whilst the Night Rejoices Profound and Still by Current 93

***

            “Prince, aren’t we going to your home first?” Armitage asks as he sees the Prince’s parents load the luggage in a separate speeder; he and the Prince are currently in another speeder with Chewie helming it.

“We’re going to the shopping district to treat ourselves.” _Meaning his mom hates my clothes and want me to get new ones. I don’t want to owe that woman anything!_ His thin lips tighten into a frown.

“I don’t think your mom would be happy if we maxed out her credit chip.”

“She’s not paying for this spree; I am.” Armitage opens his mouth and then closes it when he remembers how much credits that the Prince has in his account.

“Oh……so how can I pay you back?”

“We’re friends, you don’t need to.” The Prince lays his lily-white hand over his already freckled one.

“My uncle raised me to pay my debts, even to my family.”

“……Did your uncle charge you for everything?”

“Only when I was living on his ship, but I paid him back with labor.”

“……..Why?”

“Because you’re supposed to pay your debts, even to your family.

“……………..Since you’re so insistent, then you can bestow upon me a favor that I can use at any time.”

“Yes, I can do that!” _There’s no way I could’ve paid him back with credits; it would take a general’s salary to do it. And I don’t know if I even want to be one…_

_After this adventure, I’ll have to go back to the Academy. I’ll have to leave the Prince and Dead-Star at the mercy of their family. Han’s okay, I guess. But Luke would kill Dead-Star if he caught sight of those Sith yellow eyes. And Leia……I can’t trust that she won’t do the same. She’d probably be all for it if it means that it’ll “fix” her kid. Maybe, I can ask the Warlord for a spell to protect–_

“Armitage, are you well?” The Prince crashes his thought-train with his sincere concern.

“Oh, um, yeah. I was just thinking about the future…”

“Is the future so dreadful to make you as pale as an Umbaran?” Armitage laughs weakly, but the Prince frowns and places a hand over his. “What do you fear?”

“……….For you.”

The Prince smiles.

“I’m confident that you’ll protect me, my Wistie.” Armitage feels himself smile at that like a virginal knight receiving a compliment from a pretty queen.

“I’m pretty certain that clothes can’t hurt you.”

Chewie lets out a low groan to beg to differ.

*

“Time to change the feed.” Anakin announces and puts his hand forward about to wave the children away.

“Why?”

“They’ll be clothes shopping for _at least_ five hours. As much as I love Ben, I can’t pfassking stand watching him shop.”

“Couldn’t even do that for your angel?” Desolous teases lightly.

“Nope. Did it once as her bodyguard before we got married and decided that I wouldn’t ever do it again if I didn’t have to.”

“How long did she shop?”

“Seven, and that’s the average for pureblooded Naboo. Six is usually Ben’s, but he does five when he’s with someone who has little patience for that sort of thing. Like Han. I hate Han, but at least he does that much for Ben.”

“He didn’t do that for him today.” Desolous nearly relishes the frown on Anakin’s imagined middle-aged face.

“He’s taking care of Leia.” Anakin manages to keep his tone civil if heated. “So what’s up with Armitage’s uncle? He sounds hells-bent on honor.”

“It’s not about honor!” Desolous laughs for half a minute, while Anakin looks on with a mixture of concern and offense.

“So he’s strict?”

“Den Siva, and before you ask, no, he and Brendol are not blood-related; they’re not even the same species.”

“Oh…..so were they slaves together?”

“Yes, they shared the same master, which they both slewed when they were about twelve. Siva is a Nagai, which are what the people on Nagi are called in Basic. Although, everyone else in the Unknown Regions call them the Knives.”

“I can figure out why. What’s Den like?” Desolous pauses for a second, not wanting to share his past intimacy, but he knows Anakin and how much pestering he’ll get it if he doesn’t answer something this simple.

“Perhaps, you’ll ascertain from this warning that Brendol issued about his brother: ‘You have half of my heart, and my brother has the other half. If you met, you would’ve tried to kill him for the other half.’”

“………..I’m actually getting more about you than him. Like how possessive you were of him.” His silver eyes bore into Anakin’s blue ones, imparting his disbelief and disappointment.

“I know, I know I’m not the best moralizer. But I know that the Dark Side amplifies our worst traits.”

“Still blaming the Dark Side, but it got you into Jedi Heaven!” He bares his sharpened teeth. “I was possessive of Brendol when I was still a Jedi; granted, I was unlikely to kill someone over it. If Brendol wasn’t such a natural repellant to his fellow officers and women, I would’ve certainly accused him of cheating.”

“Have you ever?”

“No, not even during the year of my Jedi death and Dark Side rebirth. Such loyalty to those who could toss him aside for someone better, which made him ridiculously humble too. He underestimated his romantic worth, and I never quelled him of those insecurities. Only Triclops did for a time.”

“……..I know us Dark Siders are nearly incapable of healthy relationships.”

“Yes, and what’s worse, you and Sidious were my only examples to follow. There was always a pinprick of shame when I was with Brendol because I know Dark Siders aren’t supposed to love. I never even told him...”

“Palpatine always claimed that we Sith should embrace our emotions but use them as tools. For him, love has always been his most useless tool.”

“How? He used your love for Amidala to kill the Jedi Order.”

“Yes, but that was mostly fear. He used my fear of her death to commit to him and the Dark Side.” The middle-age illusion gives out and pouty youth takes over.

“…….You’re still sullen over the fact that he didn’t love you like you wanted him to.”

“Would it have killed him to kiss me or hold my pfassking hand every now and again?” Amazingly, a whine didn’t erupt from those heart-shaped lips, but Desolous feels that was only because Anakin practiced his restraint in his time here.

“If he did, then Luke would be here instead of you.”

*

Brendol Hux is laid down on his bed by the 2-1B with all the tenderness that his previous human caretakers lacked. The human medics didn’t hurt him, but he could tell that they wished they didn’t have to treat this Imperial scum.

_Of course, they’d be disgusted with me; they’re medics that got their experience during the Rebellion era. Nearly all of the adults and their children hate any “imp” even if they did nothing to them, and the First Order does the same with the Rebels and their children._

“Which is why there won’t be peace in the galaxy anytime soon.” Luke announces while brandishing a plasticine tray of puffer pork chops and maize rolls with one hand. The other hand is holding the handle of an earthen teapot with two cups stuck to his fingers and clacking noisily against the pot like rapping fingers.    

“That’s not true.” Brendol receives the tray, freeing Luke and the tea.

“Never then?” Luke hands him a cup. He sees a starblossom blooming in brown water.

“No, there will be peace. Once everything and everyone dies.” Luke snorts with disbelief and takes a sip of his tea before it cools down.

“Luke, the universe will die one day, but we’ll be long dead before that happens.”

“Speak for yourself, I’ll be one with the Force.” Luke declares with confidence befitting a Grandmaster, but Brendol knows it’s just a youthful bravado like the hair on Luke’s baby face.

“If there’s no universe, there’s no Force. It’ll be nothingness until something comes along. I’m hoping for the next universe to revolve around the Crystal.” He smiles toothily at Luke like a cheeky youngling; Luke shakes his head and grabs a roll.

“There’s honey butter in the middle of the roll.” Luke takes a bird bite and swallows like puppy. “It’s the only kind of butter I have left for this month.”

“I love honey butter.” Brendol takes a roll, tears a small piece off, and pops it into his mouth to avoid getting crumbs in his developing beard.

“I’m not certain if your medics would approve of it.” Now, it’s Brendol’s turn to snort.

“They would approve of poison if that didn’t break their oath. I’d rather be treated by the droid.”

“Good, because those medics need to return to the fleet. Plus, Waste cost me nothing.”

“Did Solo steal it and couldn’t sell it?” Brendol gives him a faux sidelong look, and Luke responds with knitted brows.

“…….No. He and Chewie found it about a year before I met them when they were on an Imperial prison ship. They won’t tell me what happened there, but Chewie shakes whenever I ask.”

“You should quit asking then.”

“Yeah, yeah!” Luke crosses his arms with the cup in a durasteel grip. “But usually talking about trauma helps.”

“Well, some don’t feel comfortable about talking about it when someone pesters them to.” Luke’s lips twitch like he’s fighting hard not to pout. “Personally, I find music an outlet when words fail me, which is often. I’m not a natural orator like Armitage.”

“………..Will you show me?” _Rama told me that Skywalker males have a fetish for redheads. Maybe, they also have a musician fetish._ Brendol smiles at the thought and at the younger man.

“Get the blue guitar from the _Queen Izrina_ , it should be in one of bedrooms.” He then pulls out the ship’s keys from under his pillow; he got them back from Armitage right before the kid hightailed it to breakfast. “Here are the keys.”

“Which one is the _Queen Izrina_?”

“The _Vanya_ -class Jedi courier.”

“How did you get a Jedi courier in the first place?”

“That is a story for another day, so go.”

*

“Will you tell me that story?” Anakin asks with cautions befitting a child used to being told “no.”

“He found it. Just like his ship, sword, and Sith armors, he found it. If you want a more detailed rendition, you’ll have to wait until he tells it.” Desolous answers. It takes half a second for Anakin to completely process it.

“Sith armors? He has more than one!? And how is he able to use it if he’s not Force-sensitive?”

“Another story for another day.” _I’m going to be waiting for a decade before I get any damn answers!_ Anakin scowls and crosses his arms, making Desolous roll his eyes and point at the viewscreen. “Perhaps, this will soothe your temper.”

Brendol, a stout ginger with hands perfect for strangling snakes, plucks at the baby-blue guitar with gentleness reserved for elfin harpists. He moves his pork-greased lips:

_“As we stared beyond the windows there,_

_Over all the gardens_

_That have never been_

_And will never grow again._

_How long?_

**_How_ ** _long?_

_The shining winking stars,_

_The clouds too high,_

_So high,_

_Pointing to some final star._

_The dull face of the sky.”_

Not many are privy to this knowledge, but Anakin Skywalker can sing, and even less know how much he enjoys the act. He learned to sing from his mother and fellow slaves toiling in the heat of the twin suns; they used it as a way to express their suffering and finite joys, which branded itself in young Ani’s mind before he could properly articulate his feelings. Most who know him would argue he still can’t.  

_“And the sound of the calling_

_Of the distant village bell_

_And all that.”_

From his point of view, Brendol’s voice would be better lent to a bawdier song or a song that required a lot of growling. Yet, the fifty-something ginger seems at ease in the nihilistic rasps that is required for this type of sad song. It takes years of experience to sound this natural in a tone generally unsuited for them; he should know since it took him nearly a decade to sing happy songs without falsity.

_“The sun is not enough for us_

_Any longer,_

_And her smile,_

_Though she wears her hat_

_And her cheery rays_

_Do not blanket with their glorious glare._

_The burning body_

_With distorted nimbus_

_I see so well_

_Just beyond my neighbour's house_

_It does not blank out.”_

The Jedi fine-tuned his voice, but they could not inspire him to learn an instrument, making Anakin have a comfortable gap in his musical education that he has yet to fill, even with his infinite time in the afterlife. So he can only judge Brendol’s performance by his personal preferences, and he believes that the older-younger man is playing well. And his son, completely enraptured and deaf to everything else, appears to like it too.

_“The last sigh of the soul_

_Whilst the night rejoices profound and still._

_At the edge of your street,_

_Both shadow and destroyer_

_But not alas_

_The comforter.”_

After the last lyric is sung, Brendol continues to strum for nearly fifty more seconds before ending his performance. Anakin claps, while Luke smiles like he’s been gifted something he never knew he wanted.

_“This actually should’ve been done on piano, but I never learned to play one. It would’ve been impossible with two broken legs and all.”_

_“And they’re very expensive…”_ Luke mumbles, and Anakin suddenly remembers that Luke bought one for the music room with the hopes that maybe one of his students would learn to use it. But none of them appeared to be musically inclined, so it’s been gathering dust and guiltily eating away at Luke’s frugality.   

_“I was fifteen and fell from a high-up tower and into the dried moat below. Since we didn’t have anything near as miraculous as bacta, I had to heal the old-fashioned way. It took three months for my legs to heal and then another six to get back into fighting form.”_

_“Why were you on the tower?”_

_“There was a siege going on, and I needed to find my brother.”_

_“Do comlinks not exist in the Unknown Regions?”_

_“They do, but the thunderstorm was raging far too fiercely to get a proper signal out.”_

_“How were you able to see then?”_

_“Special waterproof goggles, but the metal from that, my armor, and my sword attracted lightning.”_

_“Clearly, the Force wanted you alive.”_

_“The lightning did miss me, but it pushed me back and I fell. It’s a good thing I had my helm on!”_

Anakin smiles at the way Luke shakes his head; he shakes it so much like Obi-Wan when he was too good for sighing.

“I swear Brendol has luck that smugglers would envy.” Desolous sighs, even though he’s heard this story twice before.

“But not in his love life!” Anakin teases, which makes Desolous scowls.

“Brendol is terribly great at focusing on the good in those he loves, much to his detriment. Just like Armitage with Ben.”

“Ha! You just admit that Armitage loves Ben!”

“Anakin, that wasn’t a compliment!”

*

Seven hours later, Armitage Hux shuffles into the Solo-Organa apartment like the living dead. Except the living dead didn’t have to deal with the poodoo of trying _every_ single outfit that their friend insisted on. That was five hours, and when they couldn’t find Chewie, the Prince insisted on searching for shoes.

Armitage hears Leia calling from the kitchen, but he doesn’t stop and nearly smashes into Han. The smuggler uses his thumb to direct him to his room; Armitage doesn’t mutter a thanks, and the smuggler just nurses his shot of Corellian whiskey as he goes to the kitchen.

The white door slides open into a soft-blue room with coral-colored sheets and fluffed-up pillows. He nearly trips over a box of shoes that arrived an hour before him and doesn’t pause to take his boots off. He falls face-first into the mountain of pillows.

He breathes in the scent of sheets; they smell dusty and rosy. He keeps his head buried and hopes that the person who just entered isn’t the Prince or Leia. The former he doesn’t want to see the look of hurt that must be there when Armitage ran away from him and the shopping bags; the latter because he doesn’t have the energy to be angry with her.

“Master Armitage, I’ve brought you a cup of ginger tea.” The golden droid announces cheerfully. Armitage pulls his head away and keeps his eyes closed.

“Thank you, See-Threepio, if you would please put the tea on the nightstand, I would be most appreciative.” He answers with more sincere respect to the protocol droid than he would with anyone in the First Order, including the Grand Admiral.

“Very well, sir.” He listens to the electronic crinkling of the droid’s limbs and drowns in the pleasant sounds. “Do you need anything else, Master Armitage?”

“No thank you, See-Threepio.” He hears the whirl as the droid gives him a small bow of general respect at his polite dismissal. Once he hears the door slide close, he sinks his head back into the pillows and hopes to be alone for the rest of the day.

The door slides open and then closes.

“Human, are you dead?” Dead-Star asks bluntly, and Armitage wishes he could just ignore him. But he knows better than to do that to this temperamental dragon trapped in a human boy’s body. He lifts his head up again.

“Still alive, Dead-Star. I’m just tired.” He puts his head back down and swears that he won’t lift it up again. Dead-Star grunts and stalks to the bedside. He half expects the dragon to roll him over and shake his eyes open. But he then hears him go to the other side of the bed and hops right on the bed.

“I’m tired too.” Dead-Star says and then rolls until he’s right on the cape. Armitage quickly unlatches the cape’s brooch so he can breathe again.  

“I think I’m just going to sleep.”

“Me too.” Dead-Star takes his hand and lifts it up; he feels something wet and warm slither across the palm, the dragon’s kiss.

“I love you too, Dead-Star.”  

*

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Comments: Here are the links- 
> 
> Here’s an image of a 2-1B. I thought about using the one that supposedly helped Luke, but I have an affection for one with an actual name: [Link](https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/starwars/images/c/c5/2-1BSurgicalDroid-PoV.jpg/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/180?cb=20101215160512)
> 
> Here is the link to song that Brendol sings to Luke and the Force Ghosts: [Link](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GoJtGWk-B4g)
> 
> Waste is from Joe Schreiber’s Death Troopers, not to be confused with the New Canon’s Imperial Death Troopers, and he actually got destroyed by zombies, but I decide to save his life; I recommend it if you’re looking for a good horror-action book with zombies in it. And there’s even a character named Armitage in it!
> 
> I planned for Mon Mothma to show up in this chapter, but I decided to save all the politics for the next chapter. Next chapter should have Leia taking the kids to the Senate building, Armitage finally gets some things off his chest, and Padmé pops by.


	5. The Patriot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Armitage meets Mothma, while Desolous makes another friend.

Knight-Errantly Chapter Four

****

            Senator Leia Organa watches from her island as Armitage shuffles wearily to the table like he’s suffering the worst hangover in the galaxy. He pulls out a chair and sits, further rumpling his clothes. He buries his cowl-head into his arms, wanting to block out the morning’s light.

Ben saunters in, letting the sun catch him by the Cyrene silk ends of his chiton. His wavy black hair is held back by a golden circlet gifted to him by Senator Pooja last Life Day. He gives her a small, polite smile.

“Good morning, Mother.” Armitage lifts his head up and squints momentarily at Ben as though he’s been blinded by the light.

“Oh, I didn’t see you. Morning, Senator.” Armitage says without a hint of affection to her, but then he smiles at Ben. “Good morrow, Prince.”

“Morrow?” Ben asks with bemusement as he takes a seat right next to him.

“It’s an archaic word for _morning_. Although, I don’t think the playwrights realized that yet.”

“But why address me so archaically? Am I that backwards?” Her son lightly teases, but Armitage takes him seriously.

“N-No! You just look like one of those beautiful boys that would get stolen by the gods.”

“Gods? Which ones?”

“Any of them, really. Who would reject you?” This takes Ben’s breath away, and Leia feels it through their bond. A bond that’s been tightly closed off since his return from the Sith tomb. He still hasn’t given her all the details.

_And Armitage won’t. He’s still mad at me. But why? What have I done to offend him? I’d rather not prod him in front of Ben, then I’ll have two angry little boys to deal with._

“Are you two hungry for breakfast?” She asks, and Armitage looks in her direction but keeps his mouth shut. She hears the tiny groan erupting from his belly since tea was his dinner.

“I am. Where is father and Chewie?”

“At _Dex’s Donuts_.” Ben’s eyes light up with a childish glee that she hasn’t seen in so long.

“With extra dark matter sprinkles?” His voice warbles, and she nods with a grin.

“What’s a donut?” Armitage immediately asks. Ben looks back at him with wide brown eyes.

“A donut is a round cake with a hole in its center; it’s usually glazed or frosted.” Ben quickly explains, but Armitage still looks confused.

“But why eat it for breakfast? That sounds more like a dessert.”  

“It can be a dessert, but it tastes better as a breakfast item, especially with vine-coffee.” Armitage’s green eyes sparkle like shining emeralds.

“It’s nearly impossible to get that in the Unknown Regions. It was one of those crops that didn’t grow so well like strawberries.”

“………….You’ve never had strawberries?” Ben says slowly as though he cannot comprehend reality. Leia nearly laughs aloud.

“Well, no, that would have to be imported or smuggled in like the vine-coffee. I only know about vine-coffee since the Commandant and the rest of the Council would have that at their meetings and he would sneak me back a cup.” Armitage flushes with pleasure at his nostalgia, while Ben burns with determination.

“Mother, Armitage will have the strawberry-filled ones.” Those were her favorite, but worth the sacrifice since Ben is conversing with her again. But then Armitage imagines a strawberry in the hole like a planet with a ring. Ben bursts into laughter, while she covers her mouth to prevent herself from doing the same.

“Laugh now, but I shall be laughing when you get to Nagi!” He throws in an evil cackle more suited for the wicked stepsister in a Wynssa Starflare holodrama.

“It can’t possibly be that different.”

“Oh, Mothma’s mantle would turn black if she went there.”

“Really?” Ben looks back at her with a conspiring look. “Mother could introduce you to her.”

“Me? I doubt she would see someone like me.” Armitage scoffs.

“She would squeeze you in her schedule.” Leia suggests.

“Only because she won’t say no to you.”

“She’s said no to me plenty of times as she would tell you.”

“……….Okay, I’m willing to meet the Good Chancellor.”

“Ah, I have the outfit in mind.”

“Prince, you can pick out my clothes for the rest of my life.”

Ben’s eyes twinkle just like Han’s when he’s met with an exciting prospect.

Like marrying her.  

*

Desolous needed a break after Brendol’s and Luke’s bonding session. He thought about seeing Kanan and sparring with him, but he couldn’t locate him in his favorite dojos or his room. He did, however, found his former boss: Cin Drallig. Even in the afterlife, Master Drallig is one of the most formidable Battlemasters amongst the Jedi. He’s also quite willing to spend nearly twelve hours straight sparring with the only caveat that Desolous had to make their session interesting.

Fighting on Utapau was one way. Using forms that they’re rather reluctant to use was another. But really doing all of that blindfolded cinched it.

“I’m finished.” Desolous admits defeat at the bottom of a sinkhole.

“Come now, this is the first time you’ve sunk. I’ve done that five times and I still managed to defeat you.”

“I’m not a master of sokan like you are.”

“That was more like reverse-sokan.”     

“You were the master of using the sinkholes, but your Djem So still needs work.”

“I try not to let my passions rule me unlike Knight Skywalker.”

“Ah, so he’s been harassing you again?”

“Did Xanatos and his Padawan tell everyone?”

“No, I can read. Skywalker’s posters are still up on many salles. He even left a few in the copy room, such a litterbug…”

“He was harassing me at first, and then we came to…a concord.”

“Uh-huh, so is he going to try break the Afterlife again anytime soon? Whie nearly had my head because of that.”

“I hope not.” Desolous sighs deeply. “Let’s hope that the children don’t get kidnapped by space pirates.”

“It depends. What kind of children are they?”

“Ben, Skywalker’s grandson from the daughter, is manipulative and possessive over Armitage, a sweet and resilient lad that deserves better than being the boy’s Sith sacrifice.”

“I know you hate children, but surely you’re exaggerating about the boy.” Drallig snorts at such hyperbole.

“Ben mind-controlled a Battle Hydra, one of the few left in the galaxy, and was going to sacrifice it to bring him and Armitage closer. Fortunately for the hydra, Armitage used the power of electric guitar to soothe the beast in Padawan clothing.”

“That’s not a reassuring sign.”

“The child has a bright future in the Dark Side if he goes down such a path.”

“And the other one is just destined to be a corpse?”

“Far worse. His husband.”

*

 _I shouldn’t have eaten that last strawberry-filled donut! If it weren’t for the blue sash around my waist, my belly would be popping out. Thank goodness I ate before the Prince dressed me; I would’ve felt so bad if I got jelly on any of this!_ Armitage thinks as he looks down at his garments. His entire tunic is made of red shimmersilk with a deep V-neckline and long sleeves. The sleeves hug closely to his upper arms, but they widen and wrinkle below the elbows. The synthsilk trousers are red and white split down the middle by protruding black lines. He looks down at his shoes, not certain if he likes the golden discs that decorate the tops of his brown sandals.

 _At least my feet look good in these and don’t require me to wear socks. Oh man, the Prince would’ve had a stroke if I wore socks with sandals!_ He nods absentmindedly at his own thought, causing his crown of artificial jade roses to slip over his eyes.

“Perhaps, we should’ve made a quick trip to salon and have your hair lengthened.” The Prince states as he fixes the crown.  

“With a quick pedicure?” He wiggles his toes like piano keys.

“Yes, your feet could use a good paraffin waxing.”

“I don’t have hair on my feet.”

“No, it’s a form of pedicure. Your feet would be encased in wax and the wax softens them.”

“Oh! So is the wax like candle?”

“I doubt so, considering how soft the wax is, it would make a terrible candle.”

“Huh, I wonder if Jacen knows about that kind of pedicure.”

“Jacen?”

_Holy shit, I haven’t contacted them in almost a month! Force knows what Jaina has been up to, probably pod-racing again! And Jacen…he’s a good boy._

“He did pedicures on his mum’s ship to make credits since she didn’t believe in allowances. He did all the beauty stuff, while Jaina would help with fueling up the ships or repairing the old droids. She’d rather be covered in Hutt fat than give anyone a pedicure!”

“Jaina?”

“Jacen’s twin.”  

_Should I tell him the whole truth about them? Like they’re his cousins because Luke is a virile arse who can’t be bother to break up with someone in person. I know Mara would probably kill Luke if she ever saw him again. And I know Jacen wouldn’t mind helping in the fratricide. Only Jaina would be against it, but she idolizes him far too much that he can only ever break her heart. So I should keep it to myself…_

“Who are they exactly?”

“The Jade Twins.”

“Jade?” Fear clenches his heart. “Just like the roses.”

“Yes!” Armitage smiles with utter relief and changes the subject. “Are we there yet, Senator?”

“Right about…now!” The Senator announces when she finally secures her parking spot. The doors swerve up and the passengers hop out. They make their way into a ‘lift and head straight up to Mothma’s office. The first thing Armitage notices is that nearly every piece of furniture, wall, and even the smooth floor are white, making him question his own favoritism towards the color.

The former Rebellion Commander-in-Chief and New Republic Chancellor is at her long, white desk in her formal yet understated robes. Half her red hair has gone gray, while wrinkles scratch at the edge of her sharp blue eyes. She puts down the datapad and sets her crescent-shaped glasses on top of it.  

“Senator Organa and Ben, I see you’ve brought a guest.”

“You know damn well who I am.” Armitage cuts off the Organas’ pleasantries before they could utter a syllable.

“Oh, really?”

“I saw you reading my file from the reflection on your glasses. If you’re going to be rude like that, then the least you can do is take off the glasses and crank up the font, so I won’t catch it.”

“Are you always disrespectful to your elders?” Her lips are curled into a bemused smirk, but her eyes are hard.

“Only to those who deserve it. And you’re not that old, Sloane’s older than you.” _I hate it when adults go self-deprecating; Commandant does that too much!_

“Really?”

He narrows his eyes.

“She’s like 56 or 57; she’s older than the Commandant.”

“She’s kept herself well.”

“She has to. No one’s supposed to go soft in the First Order, unless you’re a high-ranking officer with a death wish. Or a staff that is too damn afraid of saying _no_. It’s really hard to create a better world when the new one is being crippled by the old one.” He looks directly down at the New Republic symbol on her desk.

“You’re very sapient for being fourteen.”

He furrows his brows and frowns deeply.

“I’ll be fourteen in a couple of months; I’m thirteen now.”

“No, you were born in 0 ABY.  It is the tenth month of 15 ABY, so you would be fourteen since your life day doesn’t happen until the twelfth standard month.”

 _Oh Force, she’s completely right! We must’ve skipped my life day because the Commandant was still depressed about father. I don’t even look thirteen! When will I ever hit my growth spurt!?_ Armitage’s face turns as red as his tunic at the prospect of being stuck in a child’s body.

“Consultant Mothma, I was under the impression that my mother, Armitage, and you were supposed to discuss Nagi, not destroy a young man’s self-worth!” The Prince says sharply, making Armitage stare at him. The Prince’s brown eyes shine with bits of gold like Dead-Star’s about to take over and burn the building down. Armitage tackles the Prince to the ground.

“Hu–” Dead-Star nearly gives himself away, but Armitage presses his mouth against his like he’s resuscitating a drowned lizard. He doesn’t stop until the Prince’s eyes return to their pure brown state. Armitage breaks free, but a thin line of spit still connects them. He turns around and sees the shared look of horror between the two mothers.

“In Nagi……expect the unexpected!”

*

“In Nagi, do children molest each other!?” Bruck demands from the viewscreen, while the rest of Yoda’s Line, minus Yoda and Anakin, remain glued to their mats.

Qui-Gon finally recovers and turns to Xanatos.

“Does Anakin know about this?”

“If he did, pretty certain we’d have another earthquake.”

“Let’s keep him in the dark.”

He is met with nods and sounds of agreement, while Bruck tries to scratch the viewscreen to death.   

*

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Comments: No links this time. 
> 
> Wynssa Starflare is the alter ego of Wynssa Antilles, sister to Wedge Antilles. In Legends/EU, she’s famous for her holodramas and being the mother to Jagged “Jag” Fel, Jaina Solo’s future husband and forefather of the Fel Empire in the Star Wars: Legacy comics. 
> 
> Also, I got around reading Claudia Gray’s Master and Apprentice novel and I’m really enjoying her take on Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan. Oh, and this version of the Council would’ve most likely kicked Qui-Gon Jinn out of the Order if he treated Obi-Wan as horribly as he did in Legends, which means I like this Council and Yoda better. Also found out that “dojos” is an acceptable term for Jedi training area. Oh yeah, Xanatos has a foil in the novel. Am I going to incorporate the foil? Most likely not. 
> 
> Cin Drallig doesn’t have much to offer in New Canon yet, so I’m primarily using Legends for his character. And even then, there’s still not a terrible lot to work with, but at least they give him a personality description.   
> Sokan pretty much translates to “I have the high ground” and it’s supposed to be about using your terrain against your opponent to get the upper hand. 
> 
> Hey, anyone remember the Solo Twins? Two out of three of Leia’s and Han’s children from Legends? I’d imagined some of you have since Kylo and Rey share some similarities with them, but thankfully missing the blood connection. I’d argue that Kylo is an amalgamation of Jacen Solo, Anakin Solo, and Ben Skywalker, but all of their worst traits. My money is on Rey killing Kylo by the end of the next movie, echoing Jaina killing Jacen. Aside from all that, Jacen and Jaina get to be brought back as the Jade Twins in all of my Star Wars stories. Will they share the same fate as their past lives? No because they aren’t cursed with the Force like their cousin is; okay, only one of them is cursed with the Force, but not as badly as in Legends. 
> 
> Also, guess who finally fixed her age flub of this series! Back when I was writing the first part of this series, I thought there was like a four year age gap between Hux and Kylo and I’m terrible at math. So now they are five years apart, and we’re each other’s first kiss….maybe I really should’ve aged them to teenagers. There wasn’t any tongue, so I think they’re fine. But you bet this is going to go straight to Ben’s and Dead-Star’s shared head. 
> 
> Next chapter: the fallout of the previous chapter, and exploring some locations in Chandrila.


	6. The Brave

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The truth gets out.

Knight-Errantly Chapter Five

*****

            In Mon Mothma’s personal refresher, dominated by pristine whites and coral pinks, Ben fills the porcelain sink up with cold water. He inhales and then exhales. He plunges his face into the cold. The water shoots up his nostrils like nostrils, but he refuses to pull away. A minute later, his body pulls away so aggressively from the sink that he falls flat on his back and onto the faux-fur bath math.  

**_YOU NEARLY KILLED US!!!_ **

_Ah, there you are. I was afraid our first kiss magicked you out of existence._

**_I WAS IN SHOCK, YOU IDIOT!_ **

_I can certainly hear that now._

**_WHY DID HE KISS US LIKE THAT!?_ **

_Stop screaming! And if I had to hazard a guess, it’s because you were going to roast my mom and her idol._

**_That’s because your anger was affecting me._ **

_Are you certain that wasn’t your anger?_

**_If it was my anger, do you think I would’ve let you run your mouth, Prince?_ **

Ben can feel his stomach bubble with familiar anger, the kind of anger he reserved for his family accusing him of doing something that he may or may not have done. He channels that anger into his limbs and gets up from the shag rug. He returns to the sink and pushes down on the lever to drain the water. He looks at himself in the mirror and sees that his circlet has fallen too far forward. He adjusts it with a light hum.

**_So you’re going to ignore me now since I told you the truth?_ **

_I admit that I do have some anger issues, but I’ve been working on them._

**_Really? You’re imagining skinning me alive right now. And why did you imagine me as a head-butting, purple, puny dragon?_ **

_You do enjoy tackling your problems head-on rather than thinking._

**_Unlike you humans, I don’t need to waste my time on thinking._ **

_If you took a minute to consider the consequences of your actions, you might have realized that burning and consuming your avowed enemy’s grandson may not be the brightest idea. You lost your body, and I’ve lost half of my mind._

**_But we’re going to get me a body!_ **

_Yes, yes, but we’re going to need to make sure that this trip will happen. Our Wistie’s explanation…might have doomed it._

**_That was an explanation?_ **

_He had to come up with something to explain the kiss……our first kiss._

Ben traces his lips with his pointer finger.

**_And that’s a big deal because?_ **

_It was also Armitage’s!_

**_I repeat the question._ **

_Because he temporarily married our lips, and one day it will be more!_

**_Like what?_ **

_You’ll find out when we hit puberty._

**_Is that like molting?_ **

_In a sense._

**_So how are you going to convince your mom to not cancel the trip?_ **

_I have no idea._

**_Brilliant._ **

*

When the Prince slipped into the ‘fresher, Armitage is glad that he won’t be around to see the brutal interrogation. And he fervently hopes that the ‘fresher is somehow soundproof. He feels the spit on his lips dry up in the heat of the maternal fury. Much like his thoughts of escape.

“Is this revenge, Armitage?” Leia’s hard brown eyes sear him like he’s a criminal on trial. He balls his fists and grits his teeth to keep himself from laughing at his fortune.

“Yes, now you know how I feel.” _Thank Exar Kun’s hot voice! She’s still in the dark about her son’s mind-mate! Oh shit, but now I have to sell this lie._ He straightens his posture and flares his freckled nostrils like he’s ready to tussle.

“All for the Commandant, even at the price of your freedom.” He inhales and exhales as he remembers the Commandant’s words.

_“Anger is useful on the battlefield when you haven’t slept or eaten in days; it’s an energy booster. But it’s a mind-killer.” Commandant explains as he checkmates him on the holo-table. “Just like fear.”_

“If I was a citizen, then we would have to be enemies, no?” He tilts his head to the side like a cat. “I don’t wish for us to be enemies.”

“I understand the Commandant’s explanation, but I don’t agree with it.”

_Of course, you wouldn’t. You’re the paragon of democracy like the woman by you._

“What else could he do? If we stayed and became New Republic citizens, then we would’ve been marked as traitors. And considering how many higher-ups hate his guts, it’s fair to assume that we would’ve gladly hunted us until our deaths.” The truth burns his tongue, but the best lies are the ones with the most truth in them. 

“Then, why not become a citizen of the Unknown Regions?” Mothma delivers the sucker punch.

_It’s not like I didn’t wonder about that when I was with Den. Why didn’t the Commandant and father didn’t do that? The FO would’ve thought we disappeared, probably got killed like the ships that got lost in the Unknown Regions, and never bothered with us. The same with the New Republic. I would’ve had both of my parents. Why didn’t they consider that option?_

“Citizenship is hard to come by for humans in most parts of the Unknown Region. Most citizenships are based heavily on whether that person is a native or part of the dominant species of the system, and most humans fit neither. The Chiss Ascendancy allows for humans to be citizens, particularly the useful ones; they did take in the few thousand humans that saw no future in the FO or New Republic. But those humans don’t exactly enjoy the full rights of citizenship and experience intense pressure to conform to Chiss ways. Considering my family, I don’t think we could’ve lasted in the Chiss Ascendancy.” Armitage admits after a minute of contemplation.  

“Are there no worlds inhabited mostly by humans?” She further probes. The light from the expansive windows dominate the space, but it acts as background dressing for Mothma and Leia. Armitage muses that they look like malformed angels.

“Actually, there are, but most have adopt a rather hostile stance on outsiders, even if they’re fellow humans. Like Parnassos.” Armitage trails off for a second, nearly dragged back to an old fear of losing the Commandant, but he steels himself. “Then there are some that don’t give a poodoo about the rest of the universe and refuse to be caught up in the Galactic Cold War. Like Rhand. Although, I’m not certain if the Rhandites are actually humans, since I’ve never met a human with natural red eyes.”

“If citizenry was not an option, then why not just travel around the Unknown Regions? It wouldn’t be a stable upbringing, but you wouldn’t have known that, and I doubt the First Order would hunt your family down since the Commandant, at the time, wasn’t part of the upper echelons of the former Empire. They would’ve presumed you lost like the ships that didn’t make it to the Unknown Regions.”

 _And how many of those ships did your Rebellion captured and “convinced” the Imperial refugees that the New Republic was their only hope?_ He could’ve countered with, and burned with the desire to do so, but he would rather not accuse without proof.

“Maybe, maybe not, but we’ll never find out, now will we?” He tries to tease but sarcasm cuts through his intended playfulness. His blue eyes catches the white ‘fresher door opening, and the Prince leaves it in pristine condition. Though his face is wetter than before.  

“Mother, I would like to go to the beach now.” The Prince announces as though there’s not water dripping down his nose like runny snot.

“There are fresh towels hanging in the ‘fresher and even more in the closet.” Mothma informs the Prince in a matronly sigh.

“I didn’t see the point since I’ll be getting wet soon.” The Prince counters with cheek.

“Um, but our clothes aren’t suited for the beach.” _Unless he said so at some point during the shopping trip from the Seven Sith Hells._

“We’ll go back to Embassy Row to change, unless you feel up for another shop–”

“NO, PLEASE, NO!” Armitage yells automatically and flails his limbs about like he’s about to fall into a ravine.

“Well, then, we better get going!” The Prince dazzles him with his diplomatic smile, while Leia shakes her head at the pretense of it all.

*

When Padmé came over, Anakin made sure that his room became their most favorite place in the galaxy: Varykino. On the balcony that overlooked the sapphire shores, both of them are meditating on a crimson mat without a stitch of clothing; she to her Shiraya and the other lesser gods, while he to the Force. Anakin drifts in and out, mostly out because he enjoys his wife’s shameless adherence to the old ways. The Naboo, before they became civilized, would do exactly what they were doing, allow themselves to be at the mercy of their pantheon.

Anakin believes it’s just an excuse for public nudity.

_I could never get tired of this view. Too bad, she gets so grouchy when I interrupt her meditations. I have to wait like another hour before she’s done. And I’ve meditated enough since the Force isn’t as demanding as her Shiraya. What can I do to kill time? I haven’t checked up on the kids in a while!_

Anakin conjures a datapad into his hands and is greeted with one of the serene beaches on Chandrila. He realizes it must be the private beach reserved for those that lived in Embassy Row because the children and Leia seem to have the beach all to themselves. The blue-green sea laps at the white sandy shores as mildly as it always has. Leia reclines under a sky-blue umbrella on a sapphire mat; she skims through a report on some planet called Nagi, but her angel eyes peer up every other second at the children.

Armitage stands out with his glistening, red hair and smattering of light-brown freckles; Anakin swears that a few more freckles appear on the lanky boy’s pale back. Ben’s nearly pasty skin, which Anakin entirely attributes to the children’s imprisonment in Exar Kun’s tomb, soaks up the sun and darkens to a near olive.  

Anakin sways with the children as they go against the waves until the water reaches their shoulders; he suspects that they’re trying to find the perfect place to really use their aqua breathers.  

“Their swim shorts complement each other so well!” His wife, his angel practically squeals like a newborn gualama.

“I thought you were supposed to be meditating for another hour.”

“I have all the time in the eternal to make up for my minor blasphemy.” He smirks at her adorable hypocrisy and sets his eyes back on the children.

“The shorts are really short and tight. Should they be wearing those?” She raises one fine eyebrow, and he prepares himself for another fashion lecture.

“Anakin, this is really in fashion for boys their age, and the tightness prevents sand from getting in.” He pouts at the mention of his most hated word, but mischief glints in his eyes like kyber crystals.

“Angel, they’re wearing booty–”

_“Dead-Star, you can come out now!” Armitage exclaims under the water. Ben closes his eyes and opens to reveal golden eyes like a serpent’s. He latches onto Armitage’s arm like a lifeline._

_“We are not going any deeper than this!” Ben’s voice warps into an animalistic growl, while Armitage shrugs like it’s nothing new._

_“So you’re not mad about the kiss are you?”_

_A school of little rosy shore fish circle around them like a flower chain, feeding on the microscopic algae in the water._

_“You did it to stop the idiot from losing control.”_

_“What?” Armitage’s breather turns his disbelief into a static cackle._

_“And why do you humans make such a fuss about your lips touching for the first time? It’s just spit!”_

_“Well, my father told me that ideally kissing should be the bridging of two souls. It’s ultimately fleeting.”_

_“………How can you make it stay forever?”_

_Armitage smiles, plants one pallid finger on those thine lips, and winks._

_“I’ll tell you when you’re older!”_

_“Damn you humans and your puberty!”_

Anakin drops the datapad onto the mat and turns to his wife with wide eyes.

“Why is Ben speaking like that?”

“Why are his eyes yellow!?” Her near-hysteria breathes life back into his limbs, and he gets up and sprints out of the room to alert his Line.

“Ani, wait! YOU’RE NAKED!” But he doesn’t hear her.

*

Yoda decides it’s time to interact with his Line again. As he leaves his room with his trusty gimer stick, he sees the most contentious of his Line barreling down the hall with all the grace of a drunk Ewok.

And then he comes eye to eye with Anakin’s–

He turns back, needing to meditate until he can’t remember why he needed to in the first place.

*

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Comments- Here is the link:
> 
> This what an aqua breather looks like. However, the aqua breathers in this chapter have been upgraded to allow for speech: [Link](https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/starwars/images/7/79/Kenobi%27s_breather.png/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/180?cb=20130809183220)
> 
> For those wondering how much of Phasma I’ll be incorporating to this series, the bit on Parnassos is about it since I haven’t read the novel, but I got a copy from my local library. So, hopefully, by the end of the month I’ll see if I enjoyed it or not. For now, I don’t plan on Phasma being a character in this series or most of my other ones, but Cardinal’s a safe bet though. Also, finally read the Fortress Vader comic and….my favorite part was the very end with the dream/nightmare/Force-vision. I’m not going to follow this particular comic series, but the art’s neat. I did like that we finally found out what happened to Eeth Koth after Order 66, which was unfortunate for him. If he does show up in this series, it’s fair to assume that he would never, ever be friends with Anakin or Desolous. 
> 
> I’m still trying to figure out how to write Mothma since, to me, she’s a foil to Palpatine. She’s very calm and controlled like him, but fights for the side of the angels. In the movies and cartoons, I always viewed her as a cold fish who only becomes impassioned when necessary. I’m trying to work through that view like I’m also trying to work through my boredom with Snoke in another series of mine. 
> 
> Next chapter: Ben, Dead-Star, and Armitage explore the Crystal Canyons after bedtime, while Yoda’s (sans Yoda) Line deal with a naked Anakin.


	7. The Liar

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Armitage, Ben, and Dead-Star head to another tomb, while Anakin traumatizes a little boy.

Knight-Errantly Chapter Six

******

Suggested Theme:

Main Theme- Brainiac’s Daughter by The Dukes of the Stratosphear

******

            Armitage Hux feels a weight settle on his stomach. He half-expects to feel Millicent’s claws dig into his chest in her unique way of demanding his attention, but no affectionate pain rakes him. He opens his bleary eyes and squints until his eyes adjust to the darkness. A blue cowl obscures most of the Prince’s face, except his nose, but he sees the yellow eyes glow in the darkness.

“If you had a Chakra, you would pass for a young Raven.” _And if he had red eyes, then an Evil Raven._

“….Get your cloak on.” Dead-Star orders and finally gets off him, landing on the floor with his dark boots.

“Why?” Dead-Star grunts and then closes his eyes. When he opens them again, the Prince’s brown eyes nearly disappear into the darkness.

“We’re going to the Crystal Canyons.”

“And this couldn’t wait until the morning because?”

“Because the Barsen’thor’s tomb will be closed by then.”

“The Barsen’thor? Was that some ancient ruler?”

“No, a Jedi. They say that his tomb only opens at exactly midnight and only those with pure hearts can enter it without being struck down by his ghost.”

“What’s in the tomb?”

“Who knows? But we can find out.”

“…….I really hope this doesn’t end with us being sealed underground. I’m pretty certain the Jedi isn’t going to be as lively as Exar Kun!” He jokes but wouldn’t mind a reappearance of the Sith Spirit.

“If that does somehow happen, the tour guides will find us in the morning.”

“So how are going to get there? I doubt a taxi droid won’t report a couple of kids pass their bedtime. Are we going to use the sewers?”

“We’d never get the smell out of our clothes and be caught red-handed by Chewie. We’re going to use the skimboard.”

“The skimboard?”

“It’s a board that can hover above the ground thanks to the repulsors and microengines. Most skimboards can only go up one meter, but Chewie upgraded our family’s to hover five meters from the ground. We’ll skimboard from the rooftop and make our way out of the city.”

“That sounds wizard, but there’s one problem.”

“Is it the power source? Because it’s fully charged.”

“No, but that’s good. It’s just that I’ve never been skimboarding, or regular boarding.”

“Don’t fret, this board requires two people on them. I’ll control it, while you just follow my lead.”

“Yes, my Prince!”

*

Anakin bursts into Xanatos’s room and trips over something that reaches his thighs; he looks down and sees Bruck beneath him. Bruck’s face scrunches up in pain and then opens his eyes to see the giant lug that nearly squashed him, and what smacked him on the face. His blue eyes widen in absolute horror and screams.  

*

“That sounds like Bruck.” Xanatos comments as he turns the page of his fashion holo-mag.

“Um, shouldn’t you go to him?” Ahsoka asks with her head turned toward the direction of the scream like all of the patrons in the library.

“It’s nothing life-threatening since we’re already dead. And odds are he’s probably screaming because he saw something horrible like Obi-Wan tied up by–”

“Please don’t remind me of that!” Ahsoka holds out her hand, signaling for him to not bringing up Obi-Wan’s bedroom antics. She and Xanatos share the unique experience of being the only ones in the Line to know what Obi-Wan’s _oh_ face looks like.

“And where the hells is Yoda? He should’ve been here like an hour ago.”

*

Ben hasn’t been skimboarding in over two years. But he feels it’s a lot like piloting the _Millennium Falcon_ , you never forget how to once you’ve learned it. Especially with a dragon breathing down his metaphorical neck.

**_Is there a solo version of this?_ **

_Yes, it’s also literally named “The Solo.”_

**_You humans and names!_ **

_I didn’t name it. Uncle Lando did._

**_I don’t know who Lando is, but I thought it was going to be your father._ **

_He’s not the gift-giving kind._

**_How many karking steps are there? And why didn’t we take the lift?_ **

_Because of the security camera in it. The stairs aren’t part of the building’s security feed._

Five minutes later, they finally reach the rooftop of the apartment. Ben and Armitage set the three-meter-long, metallic board down as gently as possible. Ben then helps to strap his Wistie’s small feet in.

**_You’re going to bring it._ **

_Bring what?_

**_The Solo._ **

_Why?_

**_What if the Great Dragon is adverse to the ground? We need something to be at his level._ **

_Fine, I’ll sneak it aboard for the Nagi trip. And when you get your dragon body, torch the thing for me._

**_Not before I torch the Academy down._ **

_Oh, be my guest._

“Man, these goo-gel things are sure tight!” Their Wistie comments as he tries to wiggle his feet free, but the stick-strips refuse to give in.

“They’re called stick-strips, and they’re tight on your end because you’re not controlling the board.” Ben answers and goes to the rear end of the board and straps his feet in.

“Is there like a weight limit on my end?”

“This board can easily hold two Wookies.”

“Oh, so does Chewbacca like to use this for dates.”

“I hope not since he is married and has a son.”

“Really? Why isn’t he with them?”

“His life debt to my dad keeps him bound to him, but it’s mostly because Malla and Lumpy would rather be on Kashyyyk.”

“Who’s who?”

“Malla is short for Mallatobuck, his wife, while Lumpy is short for Lumpawaroo, his son.”

“Did you ever meet them?”

“A few times for Life Day. My first Life Day was on Kashyyyk.”

“Wow, mine was on stupid rainy Arkanis.”

“Rain is your enemy.”

“It is the plague bringer!” Their Wistie throws their hands up wildly in the air. Dead-Star glares at him in their collective mind, while Ben just smiles without any judgement. He uses the ball of his heel to press down on the ignition, and their Wistie immediately leans into him. He can smell the sea salt and starblossom conditioner in his hair; Ben pulls away once they reach the five meter limit. He then sweeps the tip of his foot forward in a fan motion, causing board to jolt forward. Armitage’s hood is pulled back by the sudden thrust. His spikey, red locks twist in the air like embers riding a stormy wind. The waning moon spares some of its light to shine on his pale skin, making the brownish freckles stand out like the nighttime stars.  

**_Focus, I don’t want to die before getting my body back._ **

_Relax, I can do air slashes with my eyes closed! But I won’t because that may frighten our Wistie._

**_Good, and all the stuff you said about the tomb, was all that true?_ **

_The tomb of the Barsen’thor lies in the Crystal Canyons. But I did embellish some details._

**_The tomb opening up at midnight isn’t real._ **

_It isn’t. But he doesn’t know that._

**_Why lie?_ **

_He’ll be amazed by the crystals, especially in the Barsen’thor’s tomb. His adulation is well worth a lie or two._

**_I feel a knot in our stomach._ **

_That would be guilt. It’ll take some time, but it’ll eventually go away._

**_Liar._ **

*

Xanatos finds Anakin nerf naked and cross-legged before his holoprojector. He looks at the screen to see that the kids are walking across a stone bridge surrounded by porous rocks and a very few crystals.

“Anakin, you are watching two underage boys in the nude. But most importantly, your ass is on my perfumed pillow!”

“Your Wrodian carpet made me itch, while the pillow doesn’t.”

“Great, now I’m going have to imagine a whole new room. And how did you know that carpet was Wrodian?”

“Because Palpatine had that very same carpet in his private quarters, but red.” Anakin answers without tearing his eyes from the screen.

“You just couldn’t spare a second of your peeping to put on some pants?” Xanatos’s exasperation and disgust mix together into a noxious cocktail, but Anakin wouldn’t partake.

“Is this another Sith tomb?”

“I don’t think so. It’s too brightly lit and _natural_ to fit any of the tombs I’ve been through.”

“And I don’t recall anything notably Sith on Chandrila. This must be the famous Crystal Canyons, which should be renamed the Barely Crystal Canyons.” Xanatos snarks.

_“What happened to all the crystals?”_

_“Before Chandrila became the leader in environmental conservation, they used to mine the crystals and sell them for a tidy profit back in the Old Republic.”_

_“I’m guessing that the Barsen’thor didn’t foresee this happening to his tomb.”_   

“Is that a name of a Jedi? ‘Cause it’s not a Sith I recognize.”

“It’s a title given to exemplary Jedi; it literally translates to _Warden of the Order_ from Cerean.”  

“How come I never got that title?” Anakin pouts, while Xanatos rolls his eyes.

“Other than the fact that the Council knew such an honor would go to your head, it’s because the title was retired after the Cold War.”

“But the Cold War is going on right now with the New Republic and the First Order.”

“Anakin, you can’t be this stupid. I mean the one between the Jedi and Sith.” Xanatos brings his fingers to his scarred cheek in utter vexation.

“Is that what they call the Sith going into hiding for like a millennium now?”

“I swear I will–”

 _“WIZARD! IT’S OPENING!”_ Armitage shouts. They both turn their attention the screen to see that the boys have ended up in an enclosed room. A stone coffin with a chandelier of pink crystals take the center of the room; the lid slides back as though someone was using the Force to open it.   

 _“What’s with you and **wizard**?” _Ben asks but with his yellow snake eyes on full display.

 _“Because I think it’s cool like you!”_ Armitage smiles, while Ben starts to gag at the cheesy line. The kids walk up the few steps to reach the opened coffin. Armitage looks in and then uses his hand to snatch up a necklace. It has a silver chain with the Jedi moniker carved into the green glowing rock.

_“Huh, I thought only the Sith made amulets.”_

_“This is an amulet?”_

_“I presume so because most’ve the amulets I found were in tombs.”_

_“What happened to those?”_

_“Usually left them there unless the Sith Spirit was being an arse, then we would blow up their tomb.”_

_“ **We**?”_

_“The Commandant and me. Sometimes my uncle.”_

_“You think this will make me a dragon again?”_

_“We’ll see.”_ Armitage unclasps the necklace and then re-clasps it around Ben’s white neck. They wait a minute, but nothing happens.

_“Figures I wouldn’t get that lucky!”_

_“And from what I can tell, the necklace didn’t react negatively to a Dark Side creature like you, Dead-Star. This was not made to ward off the Sith. You should keep it.”_

_“Why?”_

_“When we get to Warlord Nihl’s court, there might be some Grays hanging about, so we can see if they know anything about it. Also, I think it complements your eyes!”_

Dead-Star, the yellow-eyed persona (he hopes it’s just that) of Ben, blushes and mumbles a near silent _thank you_.

“Wow, I didn’t think Ben would become a Sith so soon.” Xanatos whistles, and Anakin uses the remote to shut off the projector.

“That’s not Ben.”

“Are you really going to argue that Jedi and Sith selves are completely separate people poodoo again?”

“No! But this Dead-Star is…….not Ben. Nor a Sith Lord. Certainly not a Force Ghost. I don’t know what he is.” Anakin then scratches his shaggy head. “But he’s familiar!”

“You sure he’s not like on of Vader’s victims? Like a failed experiment of his?”

“But I’ve never really dabbled into sorcery. That was more Sidious’s thing.”

“Maybe, he was Sidious’s victim? Perhaps, Sidious cursed your kin from beyond the grave!” Xanatos lets out a ghostly moan, which causes Anakin to snicker.

“I’m pretty certain he would’ve cursed Luke first if that was the case.”

“Any other ideas then?”

“Not really. When was the Cold War?”

“Nearly, four-thousand years ago.”

“So we should find the Jedi of that era and ask about the amulet!”

“How does this relate to Dead-Star?”

“It doesn’t. I just want to solve a mystery that I can solve immediately.”

“Shouldn’t we just track down the Barsen’thor? Surely, he’ll give us information about the amulet.”

“You can do that, but I feel like being social!”

“………Given the vastness of the Afterlife, maybe those Jedi haven’t heard of you and won’t avoid you like everyone else.”

“Exactly, and maybe we’ll learn something!”

“You know what you can learn now?”

“What?” Anakin looks at him eagerly.

“Putting on some pfassking pants!”  

*

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Comments- Here are the links:
> 
> And that Raven comment is in reference to the comic book version: [Link](https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/marvel_dc/images/f/f7/Raven_001.jpg/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/150?cb=20051027194433)
> 
> Also, Armitage is rocking his cloak like Three-in-One. I have a thing for cloaks: [Link](http://www.comicbookreligion.com/img/t/h/Three_In_One.jpg)
> 
> Here is an image of the Crystal Canyons back in the Old Republic, and even then, there were fewer crystals in the walls: [Link](https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/starwars/images/0/05/Crystalcanyon.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20070515071857)
> 
> Barsen’thor, which translates from the Cerean language to Warden of the Order, is a ceremonial title given to exceptional Jedi in the Star Wars: The Old Republic game. The Wookie offers no other description other than listing the people who received the title. The Crystal Canyons do hold the tomb of the nameless third Barsen’thor who was a male Jedi Master during the Cold War between the Galactic Republic and the Sith Empire; he was also known as the Scorekeeper’s Herald amongst the Trandoshans. 
> 
> That skimboard scene is like a truncated “Whole New World” without Ezra and the music. And weirdly more intimate, even though Armitage is fourteen going on fifteen, while Ben is barely ten. Once again, I’m wondering if I should’ve just stuck to my original idea of having them both be in their late teens.
> 
> Next chapter: the gang finally leaves Chandrila, while Anakin socializes with strangers.

**Author's Note:**

> Author’s Comments- No links this time. 
> 
> I expect this to be shorter than the last multi-chapter part, but the chapters will most likely be longer considering how much I want to explore Chandrila, Nagi, and a certain other “rest-stop” planet. Also, get into some foreshadowing regarding the First Order. 
> 
> Next chapter: Armitage, Ben, and Dead-Star journey to Chandrila, while the Force Ghosts have to deal with Anakin in a rage.


End file.
